Alexander Zverev chose the Golden Swing rather than the Middle East Swing where Jannik Sinner would have played had he not faced a three-month suspension upon resolving his doping case. The German ace too made his feelings known in the announcement that rocked the tennis world.
A ban of between one and two years loomed over the Italian after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) demanded before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that he should be punished due to the negligence of his team members. Sinner was a victim of cross-contamination as the banned anabolic steroid clostebol entered his body during a physiotherapy session.
It’s a weird situation because it’s been obviously a very long process where first he is cleared, then obviously WADA wanted to have a second look at it and stuff like that. To me, I think, you know, there’s two options.
Alexander Zverev told Clay Tenis
What was deemed mostly strange was WADA’s latest verdict. WADA, who were determined to hand a lengthy ban to Sinner, withdrew their appeal, resolving the case two months before the scheduled hearing, and imposed just a three-month ban on the World No.1.
If it’s not his fault then he shouldn’t get a three-month suspension but if it is his fault then this is weird in a way. The whole process, the whole situation that has been there for the past year almost it’s been just strange.
Alexander Zverev added
WADA agrees to a case resolution agreement in the case of Jannik Sinner. Read more here: https://t.co/13kesYIQUH
— WADA (@wada_ama) February 15, 2025
Rennae Stubbs has discussed Jannik Sinner‘s doping controversy frequently in her podcast, The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast. She never held the 23-year-old responsible for contamination but like many, she called for changes in the doping system. When WADA announced the three-month ban that they imposed on Sinner, Stubbs once again lambasted the organization.
Will talk the Sinner stuff on my next pod. I have stated before on the pod that this was likely going to happen. Glad it wasn’t more than 3 months but ooofff what a freakin joke Wada is…. Will explain in a couple of days.
Rennae Stubbs wrote on X
Check out her post here:
Will talk the Sinner stuff on my next pod. I have stated before on the pod that this was likely going to happen. Glad it wasn’t more than 3 months but ooofff what a freakin joke Wada is…. Will explain in a couple of days.
— Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) February 15, 2025
Sinner will finally breathe a sigh of relief after May 4, as he will not have to deal with the dread of a lengthy ban anymore. He is expected to be back at the Italian Open which is scheduled to start on May 7.
He would be bidding to win his second title of the season following his successful run at the Australian Open which he claimed for the second time in a row. Sinner beat Alexander Zverev to take home his third Major trophy.
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The Boston Bruins have been under pressure to retool after a disappointing season, and now a potential blockbuster move could shake the entire NHL. A major trade proposal has surfaced that could send a star goaltender to the Edmonton Oilers, a move that would give them the elite presence they've lacked in net while forcing Boston closer to a rebuild. The deal being floated by multiple outlets would send Edmonton's current starter, Stuart Skinner, along with Matthew Savoie, Beau Akey, and a 2028 first-round pick to Boston, while the Oilers land a goaltender capable of changing their Cup window overnight. Edmonton's push for a franchise goalie could reshape the Western Conference and challenge the Dallas Stars' path to the Cup If this trade goes through, the Oilers would instantly address one of their biggest weaknesses, setting up a showdown with teams like the Dallas Stars, who already see Edmonton as one of their toughest rivals. Boston, on the other hand, would fully commit to a rebuild, pairing Joonas Korpisalo with Skinner in what could be one of the NHL's weakest tandems, likely boosting their draft lottery odds in one of the most hyped draft classes in recent memory (NHL.com). An insider noted, "They weren't the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around." That comment shows just how wide the interest is for this level of goalie talent (Heavy.com). I think this kind of trade would completely shift the balance of power in the West, making Edmonton even more dangerous for teams like Dallas, who could end up facing a vastly upgraded Oilers team in the playoffs. If Boston truly embraces a rebuild, moving their top goaltender could be the first domino in a massive roster overhaul, something that could shake the market for weeks.
The Boston Red Sox got some bad news in the infield. Rookie infielder Marcelo Mayer has gotten a lot of time at second base and third base. Since Alex Bregman returned, Mayer has gotten most of his action at second base while also filling in as the Red Sox worked Bregman back slowly. Unfortunately, he's on the Injured List, though, due to a wrist sprain. MassLive.com's Christopher Smith shared the lastest update on Mayer from Red Sox manager Alex Cora on Saturday noted that he's "not gonna play soon." "No new updates on Marcelo Mayer's wrist sprain, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said," Smith shared. "'Just waiting for results and see specialists and all that stuff,' Cora added. 'He's not gonna play soon. So have to make sure where we're at and what the course of action is going to be.'" Losing Mayer is tough. Defense has been a question mark for Boston once again this season but Mayer has helped in that area. With Mayer out, Ceddanne Rafaela is expected to get a lot of action at second base. That helps to alleviate the logjam in the outfield, but also removes arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game. Boston isn't at full strength and Cora noting he's "not gonna play soon" certainly doesn't sound positive. Before going down, Mayer was slashing .228/.272/.402 with four homers, 10 RBIs, and eight doubles. Will the Red Sox add another piece ahead of the trade deadline? It absolutely makes sense at this point.
Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.
Free agent guard Will Hernandez was fully cleared for football on Monday. The veteran suffered a torn left ACL in October. Hernandez has been mentioned as a possible free agent target for the Bengals. The 29-year-old is a seven-year veteran that is known for his pass blocking. He posted pass blocking grades of 70 or better in each of the past three seasons according to Pro Football Focus. Hernandez has appeared in 97 games (91 starts) over the past seven years. He spent the past three seasons in Arizona after spending the first four years of his career in New York. Realistic Target? On paper, the Bengals are an obvious match for Hernandez. He's coming off of a serious injury, but would certainly like to start and play for a true contender. The Bengals have questions at both guard spots. They parted ways with Alex Cappa before free agency opened, but opted not to sign a clear-cut starter. They added veteran Lucas Patrick and re-signed Cody Ford instead. Patrick is dealing with a calf injury that he suffered last week. Ford is taking all of the starting reps at right guard. Will the Bengals consider signing Hernandez or another veteran guard? So far, the answer has been "no." Things could change, especially if Patrick is going to miss real time. The injury sounds minor and head coach Zac Taylor said the veteran is "day-to-day." The Announcement Hernandez announced that he's fully cleared for one reason: to let all 32 teams know that he's ready to return to the field. He should have his fair share of suitors. If the Bengals are unsure about their guard room, then adding a proven player like Hernandez would make a ton of sense. Check out his announcement below: